Sunday, 16 June 2013

Extreme deep clean(!) - the benefits of colonics for Detox

When I embarked on this 30 Day Mind & Body Detox journey, I asked the advice of those more experienced than me to offer their top tips for detoxing... one thing which repeatedly was advised was that I have colonics to support the liver in ridding the body of the toxins that were being released by my cells. Apparently it wasn't enough to excrete them through my skin and trips to the loo.

Now, I can't say I was keen to try colonics - to be honest, the whole idea absolutely horrified me, not because of a worry about pain but from a concern about embarrassment. I think it was John Cleese who said that Brits would rather die than cause a fuss or be embarrassed and, whilst I'm definitely not that bad, I don't relish the thought of it.

But needs must, and I can now say I feel "flushed" with pride(!) to have completed a course of 3 colonics with the very lovely and reassuring Jo Cook of Serenity Flow in Surrey. She uses the 'open' method which essentially means that water goes in with a tube but comes out naturally (rather than down another tube which can be messy if it doesn't fit **cringe!**) She also assured me that as an IBS sufferer who is prone to constipation that I would love it and that one colonic is equivalent to 3 days fasting... hmmm, now that sounds tempting, I thought.

Colonic 'bed'
So, full of trepidation I attended my first appointment. It's no wonder Jo is in demand as she put me as much at ease as is possible to be in that situation. I was able to do most of the treatment myself which reduced the embarrassment factor, and I was not exposed at any point (front or back!) I would say that the treatment didn't feel as wonderful as I had hoped for, but also was nowhere near as bad as I had feared. In terms of discomfort I had very little, mainly mental as I came to terms with releasing into the hole in the 'bed'.
The very worst moments of discomfort I had I would equate to having a 'hangover poo' the morning after the night before - you feel a little trembly, like you really want to get this out of you, and then blessed relief when it happens - that was as bad as it got, so pretty good really, and that only happened a couple of times.

I definitely felt better after my first one, quite energised and with the flattest stomach ever! My second one was even better so by my third one I was surprised that I felt a little unwell afterwards and had to have an early night - I released a lot of old stuff in my third treatment though, so I think it was probably just a profound detox. (You'll also find you need to pee all the time for a day or two afterwards - it's the fact that your kidneys and liver have been stimulated to flush out the body and it's a wonderful detox aid).
Reading a book during my treatment

I really must recommend you try colonics at least twice... it undoubtedly contributed to a successful detox for me and I will be having more in the future. Sorry if I grossed you out, but I hope this info has been helpful for you... happy flushing!


P.S. Jo says we trump 2,000 times a day! And I thought that cows were bad...






Sarah is an Holistic massage & beauty therapist, owner of Edge of Eden and Senior Consultant for Neal’s Yard Remedies. You can call her on 01277 220301, email at sarah@edgeofeden.co.uk or comment below and she’ll get back to you x

Wednesday, 12 June 2013

Do you feel tired after your Detox? Then read this...

So I'm now a couple of weeks down the line from my 30 Day Mind & Body Detox and I'm still loving the compliments I'm getting about my appearance, and the way I'm feeling inside. I highly recommend making some changes right away such as using organic toiletries, eating organic foods (especially lots of veggies) and doing more regular exercise to soothe the mind and tone the body.

I can also vouch for the dramatic improvement in sleep quality I have experienced by making a few changes such as switching off electronic and wifi equipment before bed, turning my phone to airplane mode, ensuring the bedroom is totally dark and getting to bed earlier. It must sound crazy but I can tell the difference if I've forgotten to switch the wifi hub off or put my phone on airplane mode - it just doesn't feel as peaceful.

This perhaps isn't so surprising when you consider the article I read in the Metro recently (London issue, 23rd May, page 43). Professor Charles Czeisler of Harvard Medical School has stated that turning off your iPad or other LED ray-emitting gadgets could be more important than ensuring that all the lights are off as these LED rays are more disruptive to our sleep. It is all part of our modern lifestyles contradicting our built-in circadian rhythms - we stay awake and stay stimulated past darkness and then artificially induce awakeness with caffeine to cope with the morning.

This may all seem a little OTT but when you consider that research has shown that people who sleep less well or less hours per night increases the risk of obesity, diabetes, heart disease, depression, stroke in adults and concentration in children it is worth taking note. Between 1950 and 2000, the average Briton increased their artificial light sources four-fold with a parallel rise in sleep deficiency. So take note, your beauty sleep may be more important than you thought.

Remember, you do have the power to improve your sleep:

  • If a whirring mind is keeping you awake, try writing down your thoughts before sleep or if you wake in the night. Acknowledging them will allow your brain to relax and move on knowing that you can address them in the morning.
  • Ensuring your bedroom is totally dark will lead to better quality of sleep – blackout blinds, turning off lit screen alarms and TV power lights can help with this.
  • Reduce electrical intereference – turn things off at the plug socket, have your mobile away from your head and on airplane mode or off totally (your alarm should still work), turn off the wifi and unplug cordless phones to reduce the signal waves flowing through you.
  • Take time to relax just before bed – some meditation or deep and restful breathing, self-massage or even just a pampering facial cleansing and moisturising routine can do the trick.
  • Regular massage and facial treatments have also been shown to promote body and mind balance and therefore aid sleep naturally.
  • Use aromatherapy to help you sleep – either burn an essential oil before bed, add a couple of drops to your pillowcase or use a product on your skin that contains essential oils to treat you all night long. Great oils to look out for are benzoin (helps with stress), cedarwood (for grounding), clary sage (calming with sedative qualities, also great for the skin), cypress (soothes nerves), lavender (scientifically proven to promote sleep), orange oil (for insomnia), patchouli (for serenity), valerian root (for relaxation) and ylang ylang (for toning the nervous system and lowering blood pressure). You can find many of these in the organic Beauty Sleep range from Neal’s Yard Remedies – Beauty Sleep Concentrate for a smooth and youthful face and the NEW Beauty Sleep Body Butter for 24 hour moisturisation.


Sweet dreamzzzzzz…..


Sarah is an Holistic massage & beauty therapist, owner of Edge of Eden and Senior Consultant for Neal’s Yard Remedies. You can call her on 01277 220301, email at sarah@edgeofeden.co.uk or comment below and she’ll get back to you x

Friday, 31 May 2013

That's all folks! The end of my 30 Day Mind & Body Detox

So, it's the end of my 30 Day Mind & Body Detox programme... Or is it?!

Yes, the 30 days are up. Yes, it's been quite a journey with some big ups and downs and (cheesy though it sounds) I've really learned something about myself and my relationship with with food, my body and what goes on inside my head.

With Week 4 came a certain calm, a peace with leaving things on my plate and accepting that, better than 30 Days of Perfection, is a life long series of changes and better choices. My bum feels firmer (hooray!), my skin feels incredible and my boyfriend even commented today how he could really see a change in my shape. Yes ok, I still have a way to go before I feel uber-energised, cellulite-free and slim as a whippet but I'm SO on track for that and if I keep going on this journey then that is surely the direction I am heading in.

To that end, I am going to keep up with many of the facets of this programme ongoing. I do feel that there is benefit in short-term detoxes however what has become clear is that a gradual change is more sustainable. What isn't going to happen is the classic annual 'detox month' each year that allows me to "cheat" the other 11... remember, I'd only be cheating myself and I can honestly say that my desire to eat sugary or processed or wheat-filled foods has diminished hugely so resisting should be much easier.

But more importantly than all this outer bumpf (and yes, it really is more important) is the greater sense of inner calm and contentment and faith in my own ability that has come into it's own recently. I always said that age 26 was the age at which most women seem to make their final "adjustments", reviewing the character traits they dislike and learning to accept the ones they cannot change, perhaps even becoming fond of their quirks and idiosyncracies. It is then you can learn to love yourself and be at peace with yourself...

I now realise that this happens more than once as here I am feeling the same way about more recent changes aged 32. (I'm now also certain it will happen again and again through life). I'm excited to keep this personal development going as I feel I'm right on the brink of something big and exciting although i haven't a clue what... but I'll keep you posted :)

For now, I'm off out to celebrate a rather lovely piece of news I've just had but I'll be posting again in the next few days with the dreaded 'After' photos and a review of how I found each aspect of the programme and what I'll be keeping up with.

Until then, cheers! x




Sarah is an Holistic massage & beauty therapist, owner of Edge of Eden and Senior Consultant for Neal’s Yard Remedies. You can call her on 01277 220301, email at sarah@edgeofeden.co.uk or comment below and she’ll get back to you x

Tuesday, 28 May 2013

Why you should never fake it - using Aromatherapy in my 30 Day Mind & Body Detox

The more I learn about aromatherapy, the more fascinated and impressed by its efficacy I become.

It's pretty widely accepted common knowledge that aromatherapy can have mood-enhancing effects such as helping you relax or waking you up, hence your zesty citrus morning shower gel or lavender-scented evening bubble bath. The most effective and healthy way to harness the power of aromas such as these is to use organic essential oils rather than synthetic scents, and when you do these powerful essences of plants can have profound effects on our physical state too.

Essential oils are the concentrated essence of plant and protect the plant from disease and infestation as well as attracting bees and butterfiles for pollenation. If you have ever rubbed a mint leaf and smelled the fragrance released then you have experienced the very freshest of essential oils :) This pure concentrated plant essence is very powerful and is also the only truly safe and natural way of fragrancing beauty products, perfumes, room sprays and candles if you want to avoid damaging petrochemicals and "parfum".

When you use essential oils it is important to remember not to apply them directly to the skin - they must be heavily diluted in a cream or in an oil. When you apply creams containing essential oils to your skin the oils then get to work in two ways, absorbing into your bloodstream in seconds and getting to work on reducing inflammation and encouraging healing, lowering blood pressure, reducing depression, boosting immune system and more. They also enter our limbic brain (the part that deals with emotions and memories) through the simple action of breathing in the scent and can trigger memories, relax you, give you more focus or energy and help relax you for deep sleep... just some of the reasons I have incorporated aromatherapy into my Mind & Body detox - it really ticks the boxes of both those categories!

Studies recently conducted have proven that aromatherapy either by inhalation or massage can lower blood pressure and improve sleep quality. In one study, patients undergoing arterial stent insertion who did 10 deep inhalations of a blend of lavender, Roman chamomile and neroli essential oils burning on aromastones before and after the procedure significantly reduced anxiety levels, reduce blood pressure and increased sleep quality.

In a second study, a weekly aromatherapy massage and daily body lotion containing a blend of lavender, marjoram, ylang ylang and neroli essential oils also lowered blood pressure and improved sleep quality. Interestingly, the placebo group also received massage and body lotion but with synthetic fragrance in it and did not get the desired results. As if we needed another reason to go natural and go organic! I use, recommend and sell only Neal's Yard Remedies. They are the only brand I trust to be truly green, clean and organic and to work as well as I want them to. I always think, our products smell lovely naturally so you will smell lovely, naturally...

Here are my top 10 tips for incorporating essential oils into your life:
1. Rub them into your skin via a base oil (such as in an aromatherapy massage) or your skincare products - avoid anything with "parfum" in it!
2. Put a few drops in the bottom of your shower - the warm water will make the scent infuse throughout your shower, or a few drops into your bath or into your bath foam - you'll absorb the oils through the water and inhale them through the steam.
3. Burn some in an aromastone - it's so safe and never overheats so you can even leave it plugged in all night.
4. Put a few drops in your hoover bag and scent the house as you clean.
5. Put a couple of drops on cushion covers and then tumble dry them.
6. Use candles, room sprays and reed diffusers scented only with essential oils to ensure your home not only smells nice, it's good for you too! You can also put little bowls of water or eggcups on your radiators with a few drops in too - this will also reduce the drying effects of the central heating.
7. You can pick up vaporiser bottles or little spray bottles very cheaply - try mixing a few drops with mineral water for a refreshing summer spray (keep it in the fridge for extra freshness).
8. Put a few drops on a hanky and keep it in your handbag to sniff when you need to relax or perk up.
9. Use a roll-on treatment to aid concentration, sleep, a sense of tranquility...
10. Clear your head and nose with a good ol' fashioned inhalation... add 4-6 drops to a bowl of steaming water and lean over the bowl covering your head with a towel. (Do not do this if you have asthma or are claustrophobic).

Don't worry too much about what oils to use; of course it would be ideal to visit a trained aromatherapist if your have a specific complaint to address but if you would just like somewhere to start then try a pre-blended mix to relax, energise, balance or cleanse. Alternatively, have a smell of a few oils and trust your intuition - you will often know the one you need.

My Personal top 5 oils are:
1. Bergamot - uplifting and focuses the mind, whilst relaxing
2. Women's Balance - an absolute must for all women
3. Night Time blend - peaceful and sleepy
4. Ylang Ylang - sensual and an interesting one to burn before bed ;-)
5. Roman chamomile - relaxing and calming

I have started burning bergamot essential oil all day every day! It's just lovely and lemony and comforting. I also love Night Time blend before bed and I often moisturise with Beauty Sleep body butter before bed too; I swear it makes a difference :) So have a go and let me know how you get on.

Mmmm... I can smell you from here! x



A safety note: You should not use essential oils on young children or if you are pregnant without consulting a professional aromatherapist.
Thanks for info in this post go to Neal's Yard Remedies and Natural Health News.



Sarah is an Holistic massage & beauty therapist, owner of Edge of Eden and Senior Consultant for Neal’s Yard Remedies. You can call her on 01277 220301, email at sarah@edgeofeden.co.uk or comment below and she’ll get back to you x

Monday, 20 May 2013

“How’s my Detoxing?” – What do you think of my 30 Day Mind & Body Detox?


You know those lorries that have an (I always think quite sarcastic) sign on the back saying “How’s my Driving? Call xxxxxxxx”…?

Well now I’m asking you about my Detoxing… how am I doing?

I know that I have been far from perfect but I really have changed my day-to-day life and am making significantly better choices than before (and they were already reasonably good!) Does anyone have any suggestions on additional actions I could be taking or disagree with any aspects of my programme? I’ve heard that deep breathing can be powerful? Does anyone have any meditation tips? Any other tips or ideas? :)

To recap, the ‘Mind’ aspect of my Detox includes attempting meditation and yoga 5 x week, getting better sleep (through going to bed earlier, turning off all wifi, mobiles, wireless phones etc in the house at bed time and using aromatherapy), and de-stressing by scheduling in creative time, nature time, quiet time, music, reading etc. I know these last items sound very juvenile but the simple fact is that if I don’t schedule time for these simple pleasures, I invariably end up hoovering or doing laundry instead – there is an endless rolling ‘To Do’ list in my head that never gets any shorter (something I suppose you can all empathise with). So I either dedicate "chill time" or lose it completely!

For the ‘Body’ aspect I am taking an ‘inside’ and ‘outside’ approach, although of course these are inextricably linked; I refer more to treatment from the inside out and the outside in. Yes, our outer shell is a mere reflection of what is happening inside us but our ‘outside’ is also very useful for delivering essential nutrients and expelling toxins… did you know that not only is the skin the largest organ in the body but that 60% of what we put on our skin is delivered into our bloodstream within 29 seconds of us applying it?? Now this is part of an essential function of our skin: to help us absorb medicines and nutrients we need, but if that’s not the strongest argument for using organic, synthetic-free skincare I don’t know what is!

So for my ‘outside’ body treatment I am keeping to a thorough but brief daily organic skincare regime and using a fluoride-free toothpaste morning and night. In addition I am boosting my skin’s absorption of anti-oxidants to neutralise trouble-making and ageing free radicals by using power-packed serums and body lotion. To boost my skin’s natural cell renewal cycle and encourage better toxin excretion and the absorption of these lovely lotions and potions I am also dry body brushing before my shower & finishing with an icy blast every day, as well as exfoliating, using a deep cleansing facial masque and soaking in a detox bath twice weekly as well.

To get the blood pumping and all systems firing I am also exercising 6 x week to varying degrees and having regular massage, another excellent balancing and detoxifying tool (it also feels grrreat!)

Finally for my ‘inside’ body treatment I am taking organic beauty supplements (including Beauty Oil, various teas & vitamin pills – see my last blog for details on which ones I’m taking and what to watch out for). I’m washing all this down with 3 (ok, more like 2 litres) of Highland Spring water from organic land and munching on an organic diet high in vegetables, fresh veggie juice and attention to eating in season and “eating the rainbow”, and low in meat, fruit, alcohol (except red wine), caffeine (except green tea), sugar, sweeteners, cow’s dairy, eggs, low fat foods, wheat, yeast and processed foods. And ok, no I haven’t been perfect at this but ye gods I’ve been better than I would have been.

It’s funny, I feel I’ve done really well on the one hand but not very well on the other so far. I think I had some idyllic sort of vision in my head where there would just be time and space for all these changes to come at once (I mean, that’s the nature of a 30 Day Detox, right?) but in reality I have to come to terms with what happens in real life… things work, others don’t and sometime it’s not a case of strong will power or the lack thereof, sometimes it’s just that sh*t happens ;-)

Anyway, onwards and upwards! I am going to knuckle down to earlier bed times, more meditation practice and trying to get more juice and water down me too. I think I’m ready for the next stage… I’m over half way and it’s time to notch it up a gear and stop dreaming about Pimms and pic-n-mix!

A final note, I met a lady the other day at some Neal’s Yard Remedies consultant training (I’m a Senior Consultant for them; gorgeous company & gorgeous effective products that I use on all my beauty clients). She runs her own company called Serenity Flow that does colonics (eek!) and she mentioned she thought it would be a very good idea for me to have a course of 3 colonics to support my liver and bowel during this detox, especially as I also suffer from IBS. Apparently one colonic is equivalent to 3 days fasting! I’ve got to admit I find the whole idea a bit gross but I think it’s time to bite the bullet and go for it… so I’m making my appointments now… watch this space (or don’t, look away; I definitely won’t hold it against you!)



Sarah is an Holistic massage & beauty therapist, owner of Edge of Eden and Senior Consultant for Neal’s Yard Remedies. You can call her on 01277 220301, email at sarah@edgeofeden.co.uk or comment below and she’ll get back to you x

Saturday, 18 May 2013

'Supplement'ing your lifestyle - supporting my 30 Day Mind & Body Detox

Supplements - do you or don't you? Does it somehow mean you have failed to nourish yourself properly from your diet if you take them? Is it an excuse to eat whatever you want because you can always get the good stuff from vitamin pills? Are they ethically produced or just another way of stripping the planet bare through overfishing for fish oils and intensive farming for low-grade plants and herbs?

And what about what goes into them? Some capsules don't dissolve which is a total waste of money, but when you hear what's in them it's probably a blessing... Chalk, sand, talc, glue and other unhealthy additives to supplements are commonplace. And even if there are no nasties in there, are the vitamins potent enough and in the right balance for you, and if they are potent but unbalanced could they actually be doing you harm?

I DO take supplements and I'll tell you why. Thanks largely to our over-intensive farming methods (no crop rotation, no fallow years, heavy fertilisation etc etc) it is much harder to get the nutrition we need from modern vegetables. For example, in the1950s a carrot contained 67% Vitamin A; these days it can be as low as 17%! A field that used to grow inorganic foods that has been converted back to organic takes at least 10 years for all the chemicals to leave the earth, so even with the best organic veggies in my diet I can't help but think a sensibly chosen series of supplements is a good idea :)

I have chosen a series of supplements to take during my detox, based in part on the recommended list of 18 supplements for optimal health in Women's Health magazine. These are: Iron (ferrous sulphate), Calcium, Magnesium, Vitamin A, Folate (folic acid, 400mg), Biotin, B Vitamins, Vitamin C (ascorbic acid), Vitamin D (D3), Omega 3 (<3g daily), Melatonin (200mcg), Probiotics (multi),  Coenzyme Q10, Green tea, Grape seed extract, Reveratrol (found in red wine!) and Flaxseed seeds (for lignans) & oil. You can read all about why these are necessary and what amounts to take in their article.

The majority of these I get from the fabulous Neal's Yard Remedies Multivitamins and Beauty Oil, and I also take their Super Anti-oxidant Boost and Beauty Boost supplements in addition to individual supplements such as a probiotic. In addition I add Aloe Vera juice and various green 'superfood' powders to my morning veggie juice, including spirulina, chlorella, wheatgrass and barleygrass for a super-duper boost and to aid my digestion as I have IBS. Finally I am also drinking organic green tea as well as NYR Detox tea, Summer tea (delicious and great for hayfever) and Beautiful Skin tea, although I must confess I don't really like this one as it is berry-based and I'm not a fan of fruit tea!

I guess this may all seem very confusing but the long and short of it is: Do your research and then Choose your path. Regardless of what you do, you should be taking a daily Multivitamin in my opinion and the Neal's Yard one is an excellent choice. Whichever you choose make sure that (like all Neal's Yard supplements) they are:

  • 100% active ingredients
  • 100% vegetarian natural and organic ingredients
  • Super absorption capsules - released in 15 minutes once in the stomach
  • Anti-oxidant rich botanicals
  • Vegetable capsules - free from fillers and binders
  • Absolutely NO GM ingredients, preservatives, synthetic binders or glues, synthetic fillers, magnesium sterate, colourings, animal testing, nano technology, irradiated ingredients, gluten or yeast.

Happy swallowing!

A final note from me before I head to bed following a busy couple of days offering free beauty
Neal's Yard Remedies mother & baby goodies at Ilford market
treatments at a fundraiser event for St Francis Hospice last night and then running a stall with beautiful organic NYR mother & baby goodies at Ilford mum2mum market today (plus a couple of massage & beauty clients!)

I was in Covent Garden the other day for some free training (all consultants receive as much free training as you like) and as we finished early I decided to go for a Massage treatment to aid my detox... as a Massage therapist sometimes it can be hard not to overthink the treatment you are receiving but it was very nice (not the best massage ever but then I am hard to please!) Having my naked legs rubbed and pummelled it made me think: a) Wow I'm glad I shave my legs every day (Intuition blades ladies, they're the future) and b) is there anything else I could be doing to bust my cellulite that I could add into my detox?

Of course the detox itself is great for getting rid of fat, and therefore cellulite, with my daily dry body brushing, twice weekly exfoliation and detox baths with Dead Sea salts, and icy blasts to finish my shower each day. However, I have also started using the Firming Body Cream from Neal's Yard so watch this space... fingers (and legs!) crossed this one works!  ;-)



Sarah is an Holistic massage & beauty therapist, owner of Edge of Eden and Senior Consultant for Neal’s Yard Remedies. You can call her on 01277 220301, email at sarah@edgeofeden.co.uk or comment below and she’ll get back to you x

Thursday, 16 May 2013

'The difficult second week...' - How my Detox fell apart & came back together again

Hmmm... you know how bands release a really good album and then follows 'the difficult second album'...? Well this was my difficult second week of my detox, hence the radio silence on this blog for a few days. It would be fair to say that I have not stuck absolutely to my plan this week!

Although I did climb back into the saddle after a bad morning for detoxing at Deal or No Deal last week, this past few days have been less than ideal. I have not had the energy to get up early every morning and meditate, exercise and juice veggies, and with the morning programme disrupted it was easy to let the rest of the day go...

Now I should just clarify that when I say I let the rest of the day go, it wasn't the all-out disaster of previous attempts to stick to a programme. I didn't head for the nearest takeaway menu or pick-a-mix but I did indulge in a couple of rather excellent buffets(!), one at a wedding and one at a 50th birthday party. Yes, I did eat the crudites on offer but, yes I also ate the sausage rolls! I suppose on reflection it wasn't too bad a failure but I am still frustrated with myself - it seems ridiculous that in a 4 week programme I could fluff the larger part of the second week!  :-S

I think the lesson I have learned from this past week is not to let things get too far off kilter - when I let myself get really hungry I eat things I shouldn't, when I go bed too late I get too tired to get up in the mornings, when I overcrowd my day I get too lazy to juice in the morning, etc etc.

Anyway, this week I am really reticent to get the bathroom scales or the tape measure out so I have decided not too. Instead I have treated today (the first day of week 3) as a whole new day and am happy to report I have done everything I should have done! I started my day at 7am with an hour of yoga, meditation and quiet reflection, then at 8am I did a new workout video (Tracey Anderson's dance cardio - man, that's hard!!), then I had my veggie juice, breakfast and shower. My halo is super bright today :-)

As a final note before I sign off tonight (ready to get up at 7am again tomorrow!) a few people have asked me what I am eating on this organic, no sugar, no processed foods, no cow's dairy, no wheat, no yeast, high veggie, low meat diet... Well I start my day with a breakfast like avocado or sliced tomatoes and organic beauty oil on yeast-free rye toast or very occasionally I have sugar-free muesli (although the grains are high in natural sugars) with goat's milk. Lunches vary hugely from greek salad to grilled chicken and quinoa to a mezze of homemade yummies or soup, and dinner can be fish, potatoes and grilled veggies, tofu stirfry, homemade vegetable stew or curry, stuffed peppers, or a million other things you can make with a fridge full of fresh organic produce... I also got some great ideas from Neal's Yard Remedies latest book, 'Healing Foods' (available here for £16.99) which has gotten rave reviews to which I would add my own; the book is divided up really usefully so you can find exactly what you are looking for, the recipes are gorgeous and not too "yeah man, this obscure and flavourless bean really does it for me" and diet really is a great way to improve your health... FOOD for thought ;-) Try it and see what works for you.


Sarah is an Holistic massage & beauty therapist, owner of Edge of Eden and Senior Consultant for Neal’s Yard Remedies. You can call her on 01277 220301, email at sarah@edgeofeden.co.uk or comment below and she’ll get back to you x